Charley Conerly

Charles Albert Conerly Jr. (September 19, 1921 – February 13, 1996) was an American professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League for the New York Giants from 1948 through 1961. He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels at the University of Mississippi, where he started in 1942 before leaving to serve as a Marine in the South Pacific during World War II, fighting in the Battle of Guam. He returned to Mississippi in 1946 and led the team to its first Southeastern Conference championship in 1947. During that season he led the nation in pass completions with 133, rushed for nine touchdowns and passed for 18 more, was named a consensus All-American, and was selected Player of the Year by the Helms Athletic Foundation. His 1947 Rebels finished 9–2, including a 13–9 win. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1966. Conerly was married to Perian Conerly, a sports columnist for The New York Times.